The oft-repeated music industry talking points have turned into clichés – “There’s more music being made today than ever before” or “There are many more artists today competing for a piece of the same pie,” or some variation of either.
And though they may still carry some truth, singer-songwriter Dylan Menzie pays them little mind. The only person he’s accountable to, that he feels any need to consistently one-up, is himself.
“That’s just been me for as long as I can remember,” says the hard-working troubadour. “I’m very competitive and self-critical, but that just forces me to keep growing as a songwriter and as an artist. Standing still creatively just doesn’t appeal to me. At all.”
The fact that he’s his own harshest critic is simultaneously a struggle and the very trait that’s propelled him up the ranks of the Canadian music scene, and considering all he’s accomplished in a relatively short amount of time, it’s clear that stagnation just isn’t his strong suit.
With a sprawling vocal range and compelling approach to composition, Menzie made an indelible mark in the talent-rich Atlantic Canadian music market with his debut EP, Heather Avenue, in 2013. The release – which earned Music PEI Award nominations and acclaim from industry influencers – led to high-profile performances throughout the Maritimes, including opening slots for City & Colour and Ron Sexsmith.
In 2016, Menzie was a finalist in CBC’s annual Searchlight competition on the back of his breakout single, “Kenya,” which then spent two weeks at number one on CBC Radio 2’s Top 20 leading up to the release of his 2016 album Adolescent Nature.
Starting out on work for the follow up to his acclaimed 2018 EP As the Clock Rewinds – a collection of reimagined tracks from his breakout 2016 studio LP, Adolescent Nature, Dylan Menzie found himself standing at a figurative fork in the road on his creative journey. Menzie chose not to opt for one route over the other in the making of Lost In Dreams; instead, he simply decided to extend his trip and explore both with an eager heart and open mind. Lost In Dreams is due out May 22nd.
One route would bring him deeper down the path of forthright, earnest folk music anchored by organic instrumentation and his unmistakable vocal stylings – that which had already earned him an enviable amount of acclaim and accolades. The other would lead into more abstract and ethereal territory – lush soundscapes defined by digital flourishes and off-kilter experimentation.
Holed up for a snowy month in an isolated house on a Newfoundland cliffside, Menzie, producer Romesh Thavanathan (of Hey Rosetta!), and a revolving cast of collaborators charted both routes simultaneously, resulting in the artist’s most eclectic and ambitious effort to date.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the music video for Menzie’s single “Wild,” the first music to be unveiled from the album and a song that makes a strong first impression. With its colorful combination of stop motion and illustrated animation, the video serves as a fun and appropriate visual to Menzie’s infectious tune. Bringing to mind eclectic acts like David Byrne and Vampire Weekend, the song is brimming with bouncy, artful pop sounds and a delightfully danceable beat. There is an understated coolness to Menzie’s singing, lyrics and music as he creates music that lingers long after listening but isn’t pushing itself in your face.
Speaking on the track and the song selection process Menzie explains, “When it came time to sequence this record and pick the singles, its many faces revealed themselves. Every time I tried to decide on a single, it felt like I was leaving the listener in the dark as to what the album was like as a whole. I decided to release the album in three parts, each focusing a different face of the record. The first being the poppier side of Lost in Dreams, the second the Country/Americana side and the third, the record as a whole. I loved the idea of giving each aspect of the record it’s time in the limelight, and how with each release there’s more to sink your teeth into.”
WATCH:
All three songs are available on Lost in Dreams: Wild Hearts EP out on April 10th on all music services. For more music and info visit dylanmenzie.com.
